Heat-conserving apparatus.



L. D. LOVEKIN.

.HEAT CONSERVING APPARATUS. APPLICATION HLED JUNE 15. I915. RENEWED NOV.26.1917.

Patnted Jan. 8

H/S ATTORNEY /N FACT Application filed June 15, 1915, Serial No. 34,205.

LUTHER D. LOVEKIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTING-HOUSE ELEGTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

HEAT-CONSERVING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern Be-it known that I, LUTHER D. LovnKIN, acitizen of the United States, and a' resident of Overbrook,Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,have made a new and useful Invention in Heat-Conserving Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates broadly to conservation of heat and has for anobject to provide means for conserving the heat withdrawn from acondenser by the removal of the water of condensation and the air ornon-condensable vapors from the condenser.

A further object is to produce an organized apparatus for conserving theheat contained in the water of condensation and the airand'non-condensable gases withdrawn from a condenser, for conserving theheat contained in the steam exhausted from the ejecting apparatusemployed for withdrawing the air and non-condensable gase and forseparating the air and non-condensable gases from the water containedwithin the apparatus.

A further object is to produce a feed water heater to which the water ofcondensation and the air or non-condensable gases withdrawn from acondenser are delivered, and in which means are employed for separatingthe air and non-condensable gases from the water within the heater.

A further object is to produce a feed water heater adapted to receivethe water of condensation withdrawn from a condenser and the steamexhausted from an ejector or other apparatus employed for evacuating thecondenser, in which means are employed for eliminating the noiseordinarily occasioned by mixing steam and water.

These and other objects are attained by means of apparatus embodying thefeatures herein described and illustrated in the drawings accompanyingand forming a part hereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of apparatus embodying myinvention, a portion of the apparatus being shown in section forconvenience of illustration.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the'line 2-2 of Fig. 1. v

The illustrated embodiment of my invention includes a condenser 3, whichmay be 0f any'type, an ejecting device 5 for'withdrawing air ornon-condensable gases from Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, me.

Renewed November 26, 191?. Serial No. 204,098.

The water inlet port 8 is preferably located in the top of the casing,and a tray or trough 12 is so located in the top of the casing as toreceive the Water entering the heater through the port 8. As shown inthe drawings, the trough extends partially across the casing, is locatedimmediately above the heating fluid inlet port 11 and is so arrangedwithin the casing that it in effect incloses the water inlet port 8 andshuts ofl direct communication between that port and the port 11. Thesides of the trough 12 abut against and may be formed integrally withthe top of the casing 7 but the trough is so located with reference tothe air vent port 9 that this port is in free and open communicationwith the major portion of the interior of the casing 7. The lateralWalls of the trough are extended downwardly below the bottom of thetrough in the form of depending flanges 13, which in effect form a fluidpassage within the heater with which the fluid inlet port 11communicates. The end wall of the trough is also extended downwardly toform a depending flange 14, which is shown integrally formed with theflanges 13 and forms the end partition forthe fluid passage formed bythe flanges 13 and at thesame time forms a baflle between the port 11and the air vent port 9. The flanges 13 and 14 terminate at a point wellabove the normal water level within the heater and the fluid passage orchamber formed by them is open throughout its entire length andconsequently is in communication with the interior of the casing andwiththe vent port 9.

The bottom of the trough is provided with a plurality of apertures 15,through which water delivered to the heater through the port. 8passes'in jets in the form of thin sheets or streams. into the heaterproper, as is clearly shown by the dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2. Thesethin sheets or streams of water fall through the passage formed by theflanges 13 and 14 and consequently subject the fluid entering the port11 to the condensing action of the water and, vice versa, the waterentering the heater is subjected to the heating action of the fluidsentering the port 11.

Air vent ports or apertures 16 are shown formed in the end wall and thetrough 12 above the normal water level of the trough and, asillustrated, these ports are in substantially direct communication withthe vent port 9 of the casing 7.

The ejecting device 5 is illustrated as a steam actuated ejector whichreceives steam through a pipe 17, and the inlet of which is placed incommunication with the air oiftake of the condenser 3 by means of a pipeor passage 18. The exhaust or dischargeend of the ejector is showndirectly connected to the port 11, so that the steam and air ornon-condensable gases discharged therefrom are delivered to the heater.It will, however, be understood that additional steam from any source asfor example the steam exhausted from the auxiliaries.may, and underordinary conditions will be delivered to the heater'through the port 11and that therefore some means, such as a branch pipe may be provided fordelivering this additional steam to the heater. I

In the drawings I have diagrammatically illustrated a pump 6 forwithdrawing the water of condensation from the condenser. The'suction ofthis pump is shown communicating with the condensate discharge port ofthe condenser 3 through a pipe or passage 19, and thedischarge of thepump is shown communicating with the inlet port 8 of the heater 4through a pipe or passage 20, it being understood that means, such asabranch pipe, may be provided for admitting an augmenting supply ofwater to the heater through the port 8.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The water of condensationwithdrawn from the condenser 3 is delivered through the port 8 to thetrough 12. The air and non-condensable gases separated from this water,as it enters the casing 7 and after it has come to rest in the trough12, are vented through the aperture 16 and port 9 to the atmosphere. Asthe water flows through the apertures 15, formed in the bottom of thetrough, it is divided into thin sheets or streams and is consequentlyeffectively mixed with the heating fluid entering the port 11. Thiscauses a further and in fact a complete separation of the air andnon-condensable gases from the water and at the same time heats thewater. The steam entering the heater through the port 11 is condensed bythe shower of water issuing from the apertures 15 while the air ornon-condensable gas entering through the port 11 gives up its heat tothe water and passes to the atmosphere through the vent port 9. In thisway the heat transferred from the fluid entering the port 11 to theliquid introduced into the heater is accomplished in the most effectivemanner, since the water is broken up into thin sheets or streams, orinto a mass of separate drops and is therefore intimately mixed with theheating fluid. Thismixing of the heating fluid and the water is howevera noiseless process and consequently there is no need for providingnoise eliminating apparatus, such as is necessarily employed when livesteam is mixed with a body of water.

The water is withdrawn from the heater through the port 10 and may bedelivered directly to the boiler or steam generator, since it is freefrom air. In marine installations the lower portion of the heater may beprovided with plates or bafiies for preventing the water from swirlingand the heater may be employed in replacing both the ordinary forms ofwater heaters and the air separating devices now employed.

In accordance with the United States patent statutes I have describedWhat I now consider to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, butI desire it to be understood that various changes, modifications,substitutions, additions and omissions may be made in the apparatusillustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of my inventionas set forth by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A combined feed water heater and air separator, comprising areceptacle having a water inlet port, a heating fluid inlet port, an airvent port, and a water delivery port, a trough for receiving the waterentering the inlet port provided with means for delivering the water inthe form of jets through the stream of heating fluid entering thereceptacle through the heating fluid inlet port, and battles locatedwithin the receptacle between the heating fluid inlet and the air ventports forming a chamber open at the bottom.

2. A combined feed water heater and air separator, comprising areceptacle having a fluid inlet port, a water inlet port, an air ventport and a water delivery port, means aaeaeea prising the combination ofa condenser, a

feed water heater provided with an air vent port and a fluid inlet port,a steam actuated ejector for withdrawing air or non-condensable fluidfrom the condenser, having its discharge port in communication with thefluid inlet port of the heater, means for withdrawing water ofcondensation from the condenser and for delivering it to the heater, anda trough located within the heater and communicating with the vent portfor bringing the water delivered thereto to rest and for delivering itin jets through the stream of fluid entering the heater through thefluid inlet port of the heater, and baffles depending from the troughand surrounding the fluid inlet port for preventing the escape of anycondensable vapors from the heater.

4. A combined feed water heater and air separator comprising areceptacle having a water inlet port, a heating fluid inlet port, an airvent port, and a Water delivery port, a trough for receiving the waterentering the water inlet port provided with means for delivering thewater in the form of jets through the stream of heating fluid enteringthe heater through the heating fluid inlet port, and baflies dependingfrom the trough and surrounding the heating fluid inlet port.

5. A combined feed water heater and air separator comprising areceptacle having a water inlet port, a heating fluid inlet port, an airvent port, and a waterdelivery port, a trough for receiving the waterentering the water inlet port provided with means for delivering thewater in the form of jets through the stream of heating fluid enteringthe heater through the fluid inlet port, baflles surrounding the troughhaving air vent ports, and depending baflies forming a chamber aroundthe heating fluid inlet port, said chamber being open at the bottom andhaving the trough for a top.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this twelfthday of June, 1915.

- LUTHER D. LUVEKIN. Witnesses:

G. L. KOTHNY, H. T. HETH.

